Men's Dress Belts

No matter how much thought you put into your combination of pants, shirt, and shoes, you'll still need a good belt to tie it all together.

You want to get a feel for the belt, and to make sure both the fit and style complement your needs. Belt buckles are another important consideration, and until you try the belt on, you may not know if the belt buckle sits comfortably, or digs into you.

Watch out for buckles that pinch at the lip of your pants; this is a sign the belt is too large. When you go to a tailor he will take your measurements and add an extra two or three inches to create the prefect length for you; in most cases, the sizing adjustment I offered in store, along with trying on a belt, is more than a good head start in finding your next belt.

I find the second hole is comfortable, but the only hard and fast rule here, gents, is not to cut your own hole. The first hole is also acceptable, but I find the third hole is starting to verge into messy territory.

After checking out tons of fashion magazines, I can confidently say it varies, but one common trend is to thread counter-clockwise so that the non-buckled end of the belt is facing left. You want to ensure that you have two or three inches of the belt to loop. A word of caution to our left-handed belt wearers; make the distinction. It turns out that belts that are fashioned in the opposing direction, so the belt faces right, is how women are expected to dress.

For larger fellows, you may be wondering what size is a large belt? You can now find brand name belts anywhere into the 50 and inch region and beyond at specialty stores. Talking about ratchet belts made me realize there are many different types of belts men can wear, and you might be surprised at just how many styles and materials are out there.

This is an exciting time to pick out a style you enjoy, in fabric that compliments your taste and function. Leather belts are by far the most common material offered and are available in synthetic, bonded, full grain, and genuine leathers. But also popular are non-leather options, such as woven, canvas, polyester, and braided fabric belts although these tend to have less longevity than a genuine leather belt.

But first, for active men, or men between dress sizes, I highly recommend adjustable belts, which offer lots of wiggle room. I used to think that ratchet belts were something only older men wore until I tried one on out of sheer curiosity and was pleasantly surprised; ratchet belts are super comfortable and can be adjusted without the need for holes.

Generally speaking, the best size for each type of wear depends largely on what feels right; you could be one size in one brand, and a different size in another. You could also wear a different size with your suit or jeans. Different belts can make you look slender around the middle, and shave inches off your waistline. Unlike other fabrics that wear away with daily use, leather stands up to a beating and can last decades with nothing more than a touch of polish here and there.

The main question you ought to be asking is simple: In a pop quiz, most guys get this one wrong. Genuine leather is simply the lowest grade that a product can be sold as leather with; these tend to have a lesser quality appearance and will always be the lowest priced of all leather belts. Top-grain leather is the mid-range option and is a great choice for most men.

Top-grain leather has a much more attractive and quality look than genuine leather, without the price tag of real leather. Full-grain leather takes the entire grain of hide, with all the imperfections and inherent toughness of the material. And real leather, as noted, is the highest quality leather you can buy. This is the one you will covet the most because it acts, smells, and lasts like leather ought to. Expect to pay top retail dollar for this kind of leather, but for that investment, you will get a lifetime of wear.

Real leather is often handcrafted and will stand up to the weather, and daily use, without flinching. What is a blended leather, and why should I avoid it? Blended leather bonded leather , as these are scraps of leather pieced together. Patent leather is another one to avoid and is easily recognizable by its shiny, glossy finish. And finally, corrected grain leather, which is a method of faking higher-quality leather by imprinting a leather grain into sub-par leather.

You might see these worn in the South or at a rodeo than at your local grocery store. And, in true fashion, there is no one-size-fits-all, but there is what works for me.

For dark leather, I stick to black leather belts. As jeans get progressively lighter, you can start adding in tan or brown leather for a more relaxed and casual look. Black belts tend to look more formal, and with dark jeans, turn a look from day to night seamlessly.

If you are wondering if you can wear a brown belt with black shoes, I have great news. Yes, you can, but there is one little caveat — you want the brown and black to be as close in tone as possible. By pairing a dark brown and black leather belt with shoes, you will create a more pulled-together look.

A light brown and black leather will clash, and distract from your overall aesthetic. Similarly, if you are wondering, do your shoes have to match your belt, the answer is no. Being strict with style rules means you lose personality. The trick here is to choose shoes and belts that have a complimentary theme. In these cases, a black belt sticks out like a sore thumb. Again, the complimentary rule is at play; you can layer up similar leathers, colors, and fabrics throughout an outfit to create an interesting juxtaposition that is less store-bought and more stylish.

So, as you may have noticed, no one bel tis sufficient for most men. What I like to do is cover the bases with a few solid choices that can be mixed and matched with what I like to wear. As I wear a lot of suits, I tend to stick with tan and black leather belts that can also be worn with light and dark denim jeans.

If you are a casual dresser, consider woven belts and other fabrics that impart personality. As a rule, leather is King, and I always recommend that you have at least one real leather belt for those important events, like interviews, weddings, and for pairing with suits.

The leather used to make these dress belts is English Bridle leather. This leather is drum dyed and finished. This process gives the belts a very rich color and a smooth finish.

Quality made using quality leather equals a great dress belt that is classy and stylish. All of the buckles are attached with snaps or chicago screws so you can change the buckles and replace them with one of your own buckles or one of ours! We make a variety of men's dress belts, including dress ranger belts, black dress belts, embossed dress belts, and buckle set dress belts.

All of these styles of mens leather dress belts are classy looking and sure to please! Our men's black belts go great with a suit and are very sharp looking. Our dress belts all come with a two year guarantee and are built to last.

These dress belts for men make great gifts for friends, family, or even yourself! To purchase a leather dress belt today, browse our quality belts above.

The Best Dress Belts for Men A quick note: Allen Edmonds are my absolute favorites because they’re high quality and they match their colors to their dress shoes. A lot of companies don’t do this, but it’s very important to match your belts with your shoes and AE takes the guesswork out of matching them. Stylish belts can give your look that extra oomph on any given day without having to buy a whole new wardrobe. From casual to dressy, we've rounded up the best . Each issue of the Gear Patrol Magazine comes packed with adventures, guides and stories exclusive to the magazine. Stunningly designed, printed on high quality stock .